Neuroprotective potentials of recombinant human erythropoietin in premature rats with white matter damage / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective potentials of recombinant human erythropoietin ( rhEPO) in premature rats with white matter damage. Methods Pregnant rats ( gestational age 15 days) were injected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (300 μg/kg) intraperitoneally to make cerebral white matter lesions. Another 10 cases of pregnant rats were injected saline (1 mL/kg) intraperitoneally as controls. All preterm rats were born by caesarean sec-tion on embryonic day 21. According to the different processing method,the preterm rats were randomly divided into LPS+rhEPO group (18 cases),LPS+ normal saline (NS) group (18 cases),NS+rhEPO group (18 cases) and NS+NS group (18 cases) ,and they were injected rhEPO (5 000 IU/kg) or 9 g/L saline 1 mL/kg intraperitoneally imme-diately after birth,respectively. The cerebral white matter injury was evaluated with HE staining,and levels of CD68 ,gli-al fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP),myelin basic protein (MBP) were detected by immunofluorescence method 3 and 7 days after birth. Assessment of nerve behavior was done 2 weeks after birth. Results HE staining showed that the white matter lesions were less in LPS+rhEPO group than those in LPS+NS group 3 and 7 days after birth,while NS+rhEPO group and NS+NS group had no cerebral white matter lesions. The expressions of CD68 in LPS+rhEPO group,NS+rhEPO group,NS+NS group significantly decreased compared with LPS+NS group (F=7. 456,P0. 05). No significant differences were found between LPS+rhEPO group and the other groups in evaluation of long-term neural development(all P>0. 05). The val-ues of F by the open field test,suspension test,slope hill test,and resistance to capture test were 2. 09,0. 53,0. 11,0. 37, respectively. Conclusions A single large dose (5 000 IU/kg) rhEPO has neuroprotective effect on the cerebral white matter lesions in the premature rats by inhibiting microglia and astrocyte activation in a short time. The long-term effort remains unknown.